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Trump to UCLA players: 'You're welcome'

Posted: 8:46 AM, Nov 16, 2017

Updated:2017-11-16 13:46:08Z

By:
CNN

President Donald Trump on Thursday morning accepted the appreciation of three UCLA basketball players accused of shoplifting in China, offering some fatherly advice while also thanking his Chinese counterpart.

"To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You're welcome, go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made your release possible and, HAVE A GREAT LIFE! Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and winding road of life!" he said in a series
of tweets.

Trump earlier had sought the gratitude of the three basketball players -- Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball and Jalen Hill -- who were arrested last week on suspicion of stealing sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store while their team was in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. The President had said he personally asked Xi to intervene in the case.

"Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!" he tweeted
Wednesday.